Permission to STOP OD-ing on Protein

By Jenny Champion MS RD

Happy New Year, Nuggets! We’re back with a whole new crop o’ tips, deals and recs for a healthy, happy, less inflammatory 2026.

News + Updates

  1. We have a new look! Same, no-nonsense advice, just a smidge more editorial because I’m a design/font snob.

  2. We have a new website! We needed a nicer home for all our past articles so you can reference them more easily…aaaand I needed more UX control because of the font snobbery mentioned above.

  3. I’m looking for local health pros, doctors, studio owners, etc. who’d like to contribute and/or be featured in an upcoming issue. Email me for details!

The Nugget

If you’re on IG or TikTok, I know exactly what your feed is flooded with right now: protein, protein, protein. It’s clearly the it-nutrient of the moment.

Before you buy a 12-pack of Kloud, there are a few things you should know.

Protein raises blood sugar. This is a fact. If you’re pairing carbs with protein for satiety, you’re raising blood sugar and insulin (the fat storage hormone) more than necessary. Cut back on the chicken and add some guac for balance.

  1. Eating a ton of protein will cause diarrhea. This is because it turns into nitrogen during digestion and too much nitrogen is toxic so your body will literally push it out. Fast.

  2. Not every food product on earth needs added protein (sorry Khloe). TBH, when I see a normally not-high-protein food with a new label touting “now with more PROTEIN” it’s an instant eye roll and ignore.

  3. Speaking of food products with added protein… just because something has extra protein does NOT make it healthy. This is just like low fat and keto trends. The longer the ingredient list, the more flashy health claims, the farther I’d stay away from it.

  4. If you’re on a low calorie diet or just not that hungry on a GLP-1 and you’re cramming in 150 grams of protein every day, that’ll end up being the majority of your nutrient intake which leads to 1) not enough of everything else for balance, 2) def not enough fiber, 3) even further decreased appetite (protein squashes appetite) and 4) diarrhea.

Bottom line: Yes, protein is great and you do need it, but if you’re not a bodybuilder, you don’t need to eat like one.

Local Tidbits

  1. Our faves at The Pilates Project (Fair Haven) have some sweet New Year’s deals:

    • Apprentice package- 8 Private sessions with a teacher in training ($85)

    • Intro package- 4 Private sessions ($249)

    • Group class sampler- 4 Group classes ($99)

  2. Did you see there’s a Bloom Bar in Fair Haven now!? I’m loving the Palm Beach vibes, gorgeous flowers and antioxidant-rich matcha. See you there??

Jenny Champion